with the pending arrival of dark evenings I am considering trying to do a weekly track session (Glasgow Velodrome) at 7am on a Friday. The logistics would mean getting up at 6, jumping in car, which I would load night before, at 0625, arrive at track 0650, ride 0700 – 0800. Shower and change into work clothes there, leave 0825, drive to office, arriving about 0845.

All sounds quite doable, though at my grand age of 51 it takes me a while to get going first thing 🙂

I wouldn’t plan to eat till I finished, maybe a banana at that stage and then something more substantial (Fri tradition roll’n’sausage probs, at 0930).

Any tips from others who do early pre-brekkie, pre-work highish intensity stuff ? (other than MTFU, which is a given .. 😀 )

You could just roll out of bed at 7 and go for a 30 min run, back home for leisurely breakfast. Better for you, better for the environment, at least an hour saved….

Is not easier to just do a 1 hour time trialesque ride from home?

I ride into work most days leaving between 6am and 7.30am depending on route, after a banana/flapjck start followed by a snack around 10.30.

Seems to work. I’m 55!!

thecaptain – I cannae run, shot knees.

tiggs121 – easier yes, but in the dark, with numpty car commuters half asleep, not the safest option, plus the idea of dry, light, warm appeals more 🙂

If I’m riding in to work, I leave at about 0630, am there by 0745.

Eat my muesli (left in office) whilst I read my emails and cool down a bit, then shower etc, at desk for proper work by 0830.

I find if I don’t eat within 20ish minutes of finishing, I’m hungrier throughout the day – YMMV.

I assume you’re using a bike that is already at the track, rather than leaving it in your car overnight / all day?

Sounds fun to me if you already have base fitness. If not work up slowly and enjoy it. Worth eating beforehand if you have an hour travel after setting off?

Worth eating beforehand if you have an hour travel after setting off?

, nah, I’d be getting up at 6 and on track at 7. Previous experience has shown I need a clear 2 hrs after eating before going on the boards.

I assume you’re using a bike that is already at the track, rather than leaving it in your car overnight / all day?

No, bike would be in car, it’s secure at home, though thinking about it, probably best to sling it in in the morning, for the sake of a minute or 2, and in a secure work car park during day, within sight of my desk and under the nose of the building security.

High intensity riding on no breakfast is very difficult indeed, unless you are used to it.

I’d grab a banana or some toast when you get out of bed, it’ll have gone down by the time you get to the drome.

Previous experience has shown I need a clear 2 hrs after eating before going on the boards.

For a big meal, or a single banana?

Even a bottle of energy drink would be better than nowt. Unless you want to really punish yourself and under-perform in the name of training. It will work as endurance training, in my experience, so you could give it a try.

I am lapsed at the moment (very busy summer) but I try to get to the gym once a week for an early morning session – I get up at 6am to get straight to the gym when it opens at 6.30 then work out until 8am (ish) then shower and go to work. I find it a great way to start the day (aged 50).

High intensity riding on no breakfast is very difficult indeed, unless you are used to it.

In my session I always do 1 hr hard spinning – I guess I am used to it though (I rarely eat during the day other than snacks) and can still do a morning *OR* evening session (which lasts around 2 hrs) then go home to eat.

And yes I know it isn’t an ideal way to eat but it’s what I am used to for one reason or another.

Just bike to work instead, surely you’re only about 45 minutes from work?.

Any tips from others who do early pre-brekkie, pre-work highish intensity stuff ?

I tried the whole early morning pre-work exercise thing a few years back ( At a gym in the Village in EK as it happens. Abbey Court? Something like that?)

Stuck it out for about a year but it just wasn’t for me. Even though it was by far and away the most convenient timing for me I just couldn’t get on with it.

I think people are hard wired to be morning or night time people.

I’m very much a night time person.

I think people are hard wired to be morning or night time people.

Research actually shows this is quite correct. The timing of events even at the top levels of international athletics has an impact on the results because of the variation in people’s performance.

I wish I could work out which one I am though.

useful points, all appreciated. I could likely manage a banana 45 mins or so before riding, I could give that a go.

nobeer – I get a parking space at work, so its more enjoyable and safer to drive in, drive home and ride on the quiet roads rather than battle with the numpty drivers – I see far too many near incidents on my car commute to make it worth the risk.
perchy – I suspect I may fall into same category ! I will give it a go and see how I find it I think

Some friends do an early Wednesday morning mtb ride, 6.30 start back around 8.15. I have been a bit lazy about going for the last six months but now back into it.

Don’t bother with breakfast. Means you have an extra 5 minutes in bed. You will get used to it.

Strong coffee when you get back is essential.

Just do it. It will help a lot though to have some friends to do it with.

I get a parking space at work

That’s a bizarre justification Iain!

Just bike to work instead, surely you’re only about 45 minutes from work?.

This.

The fittest I’ve been in the last 10 years was when the wife was on maternity and I rode to work most days – now having to drop her at the office and drive more for my own job means i do about 25% of the mileage I used to.

If there was nothing stopping you from cycling to work i’d do that instead, its a much more time efficient way of getting some exercise in

I get up at 5 am twice a week to go to the gym or excercise. Prepare everything night before then just get going. Routine is key, same morning every week etc.

Didn’t spot the short distance commute. Just ride to work, it’s a no-brainer. And life changing. Seriously.

Just do a 10 minute warm up/routine on a yoga ball then 15-20 minute kettle bell routine of your choice. Bike fitness is all well and good but there’s more than one way to skin a cat.

That’s a bizarre justification Iain!

It is, without the detail….. Free spaces for seniors, but if we don’t use them regularly they get reassigned… Though TBH I could arrange something for a day or so a week, but given my other thoughts about near misses etc It’s not something I am keen on. Additionally, between me and wife we are picking up/dropping off kids at clubs early evening most days, so the logistics just don’t work in my situation.

Also, you’d get no benefit from your early morning commute as it’s all downhill.

Ride home would be murder though, a hard slog especially once you pass above the snow line.

I do 1 hour most mornings powered by an espresso and some water. I can do 1 hour at high intensity fairly easily. In time you’ll know your body well enough to know if you need half a banana to get through it.

I think your plan sounds spot on and am a little jealous of it in truth. I reckon, with a bit of planning the night before, you can get your bed to door down to 10 mins too, I have anyway.

perchy – indeed, I have done it a few times, just not a decently workable solution for me/my situation.

I MAY set the alarm for Friday morning and report back 🙂

I’d definitely have a small snack (nutrigrain breakfast bake would be my choice) and a bottle of half strength energy drink.

It’s certainly doable. I leave at 7am and ride 20 miles to work pretty much every day. But would one 1 hour track session a week really make that much difference to your fitness?

Not really got any tips other than being organised – like get your kit out the night before. I don’t often ride without having something to eat before I leave but if I do I’d definitely have a coffee first.
But if you’re planning a tough session then you really need some food.

probably best to sling it in in the morning, for the sake of a minute or 2

That’s something that can lead to ‘oh I can’t be bothered’, the less excuses you have the better. If the bikes in the car and your kit is out it’s more of a commitment.

Can’t see any issues really although I’d just do a ride from home as you could probably do a 90 minute ride if you got up at the same time.

I’m 50 btw so age isn’t an excuse 🙂

I do this kind of training – as mentioned the key points are getting into a routine, and have everything sorted the night before. I’d definitely look into getting a banana and maybe a cereal bar at the very least inside you before starting.

It’ll be knackering though – your body won’t want to go to sleep an hour earlier, so you’ll be getting an hour less that night. Not a huge difference, but if you try and fit in a few sessions like that during the week you’ll certainly notice it when you get to Friday!

Do you really enjoy the track or is this just about getting some exercise where you can? If it’s the latter I can’t see it being sustainable once the novelty wears off, so I’d be looking at something (logistically) easier, like a Zwift session & extra sleep!

I do 1 hour most mornings powered by an espresso and some water.

Well it depends what he’s doing. When I read ‘track’ I thought of balls out sprinting, which is pretty awful to do before breakfast – but if it’s steady high tempo then that’s probably much more doable.

If you have a garage, I’d be considering a turbo trainer in the garage hooked up to Zwift.

Get up and get dressed….
Banana & coffee while the laptop is booting & you get Zwift set-up.
In the garage & off you go….

some really useful thoughts, all appreciated.

Fridays are the only day I can really fit it in with work, and it would likely mean giving up a lunchtime 1.5k swim that day, so there are definite negatives. The swim is easy to fit into my schedule, but I’d have to drop it and work a bit of my lunch if I’d been at the track early.

Lots to think about, ta.

if it’s steady high tempo then that’s probably much more doable.

this

Ride home would be murder though, a hard slog especially once you pass above the snow line.

Right enough, I was forgetting about entering the death zone above Carmunnock. We’ve not even mentioned the polar bears, they are hungry in the morning too.

I’m struggling with lining up some exercise myself.

I used to cycle from Chelmsford to Shenfield which is about 12.5miles each way then get the train to Stratford.

I have now moved jobs and work in SE1 so the overall journey (40+miles) and time is too long to include a cycle, or at least my motivation for it is lacking.

Maybe I need a new bike and MTFU

Ride home would be murder though, a hard slog especially once you pass above the snow line.

Once you get used to the big climb home it’s great though. On the ride home I have a ‘climb’ of about 4 miles, used to struggle on it and just set small targets, ‘get to the mini roundabout’ etc but I love it now.

I’ve been commuting on the bike for a long time now and to be honest the near misses thing is a bit of a myth, okay drivers do thoughtless things on a daily basis but in all the time I’ve been riding I’ve had very few actual ‘near misses’. As above it’s life changing.

Just eat a good meal the night before. I’d have a small snack in the morning but i don’t like an empty stomach. this is more personal.

okay drivers do thoughtless things on a daily basis but in all the time I’ve been riding I’ve had very few actual ‘near misses’

+1

I’ve been commuting on the bike for a long time now and to be honest the near misses thing is a bit of a myth, okay drivers do thoughtless things on a daily basis but in all the time I’ve been riding I’ve had very few actual ‘near misses’

+2

Reading commuting threads on the likes of here gives a very skewed view of how bad the situation actually is.

Greg, Gary – yes, I don’t have direct experience of it, just observation from the security of a lump of diesel powered metal box. I have seen 4 riders knocked down by cars/vans between Gorbals and the Clyde over my 10 yrs or so of daily driving the route. None were ambulance call jobs AFAIK thankfully.

Anyway, I have looked at the commuting option, tried it a few days in the summer, but, as said earlier, for my work/family/circumstances, it unfortunately isn’t an option. Hence my consideration of the early indoor track session one day a week.

Some great suggestions/food for thought though, thanks to all.

I have seen 4 riders knocked down by cars/vans between Gorbals and the Clyde over my 10 yrs or so of daily driving the route.

11 years commuting by bike through the south side and 0 riders knocked down, but 2 pedestrians, so don’t try walking to work 🙂

I understand you have excuses valid reasons for not riding to work though 🙂

We now have a half decent gym at work, and I am getting back in the habit of early morning workouts. I find it easier to talk myself out of a workout later in the day after work grinds me down, than I do first thing in the morning.

I commute by bike but in Glasgow over the winter its dark, wet, cold and windy and generally not all that pleasant. Its not the weather that really gets to me but the darkness. Riding around in the bright lights and a bit of heat on the track is a relief from all that so can totally understand the attraction!

The friday morning sessions are good. From about October the 8am one is usually fully booked a week in advance, the 7am one can get pretty full too.